New vendor to operate campus shuttles beginning this summer

A new company will operate shuttles to the Mount Vernon and Virginia and Science Technology campuses beginning this summer, officials announced in a release Thursday.

Officials selected RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation to run the Vern Express and VSTC shuttle beginning July 1 with a fleet of hybrid and wifi-equipped vehicles, according to the release. The company will replace International Limousine Service, whose contract with the University ends this summer.

Alicia Knight, the senior associate vice president for operations, said RMA would work with GW transportation staff to transition to the new company.

“We were impressed by RMA’s commitment to customer service and are pleased with the service enhancements being offered, including vehicles with Wi-Fi and an all gas hybrid fleet,” Knight said in the release.

Officials have been evaluating proposals for a new shuttle service company since last fall, considering potential service improvements as they negotiated a new transportation contract.

International Limousine Service had been the University’s transportation since at least 2005. Last fall, officials sent “secret shoppers” to evaluate the issues students were experiencing with the Vex.

Officials don’t anticipate the Vex schedule will change after RMA takes over, but it may be reassessed before the fall semester, according to the release. The new service will still use TransLoc, a mobile application the University introduced last summer, allowing community members to track the shuttle.

Student Association President Peak Sen Chua said in the release the University and the SA worked together to improve the Vex, which he called “a key part of the student experience.”

RMA is based in suburban Maryland and operates in more than 600 cities around the world, according to the release.

“We want riders of GW’s shuttles to experience the absolute best service they’ve ever had from a transportation company,” RMA owner Robert Alexander said in the release.